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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

PIB release : Ministry of Labour & Employment

The United States, Department of Labour maintains a list of products produced using child labour and forced child labour under the Trafficking Victims Protection Re-authorisation Act (TVPRA) and Executive Order 13126. In July, 2010 United States, Department of Labour has published final determination of the list of products, under Executive Order 13126, which the Department believes might have been mined, produced or manufactured by forced or indentured child labour. US Government contractors who supply products that appear on this list are required to certify that forced or indentured child labour was not used to make the product. Following products from India have been included in the EO list – Bricks, Cottonseed (hybrid), Embroidered Textiles (zari), Garments, Rice and Stones. The Government of India’s stand is that, labour standards should not be linked with Trade as it becomes non tariff barrier. During the adoption of ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization in the 97th Session of International Labour Conference of ILO in June, 2008, the Government of India took a stand on the issue of Labour Standards and consequently a provision was inserted in the Declaration which states “ that the violation of fundamental principles and rights at work cannot be invoked or otherwise used as a legitimate comparative advantage and that labour standards should not be used for protectionist trade purposes”. Further, Government alerted all Boards/Export Promotion Councils/Apex Trade Organisations about the action of the USA requesting them to effectively respond to the list. The matter was also taken up with the US side under the India-US Trade Policy Forum.

Besides, consistent with our Constitutional provisions, the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 has already been enacted which seeks to prohibit employment of children below 14 years in hazardous occupations and processes. It has strict penal provisions for those employing child labour in these areas. Our National Child Labour Policy addresses the complex issue of child labour in a comprehensive, holistic and integrated manner. The action plan under this policy is multi-pronged and mainly consists of:

i. A legislative action plan.

ii. Focus on general convergence of developmental programmes for the benefit of the families of the children in the areas of high Child Labour concentration.

iii. Project-based action plan in areas of high concentration of Child Labour for example National Child Labour Project.

Shri Harish Rawat, Minister of Labour and Employment gave this information in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.